HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.17.19 BAC Minutes CITY OF BOULDER
BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING
MINUTES
Name of Board/Commission: Boulder Arts Commission
Date of Meeting:July 17,2019 at the Main Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave.
Contact information preparing summary: Celia Seaton,303-441-3206
Commission members present: Mark Villarreal, Kathleen McCormick, Devin Hughes
Commission members absent: Erica Joos,Bruce Borowsk
Library staff present:
Matt Chasansky,Office of Arts&Culture Manager
Lauren Click,Coordinator,Grants
Mary Haan, Coordinator,Programs for Artists
Mandy Vink,Coordinator, Public Art
David Faman, Director
City staff present:
None
Members of the public present: Carolyn Booth(Museum of Boulder),Melinda Violit,Madalene,Stephanie Swartz,and
Mark Anthony(Phoenix Asylum)
Type of Meeting: Regular
Agenda Item 1: Call to order and approval of agenda 10:00:10 Audio mina
The meeting was called to order. McConnick was asked to chair the meeting and she agreed. She asked the group for any
addendums or changes to the agenda. Villarreal asked for an update on the 2020 Budget under Item 7 Matters from
Commissioners. Hughes moved to approve the agenda as amended. Villarreal seconded,and all were in favor.
Agenda Item 2: Review of Minutes 10:02:35 Audio min.[
Item 2A,Approval/Review of June 2019 Meeting Minutes
Delayed until the August meeting as there was not a quorum of commissioners present who attended the June meeting.
Agenda Item 3: Public comment 10.03.04 Audio min.[
McCormick asked the public to introduce themselves. They provided their names and associated groups(see above). Mark
Anthony noted his intention to better understand"behind-the-scenes"of art community in Boulder.
Agenda Item 4: Grant Program [0.05.02 Audio min.]
A. ACTION: Grant Reports
1. Arts Education: Boulder Metalsmithing Association,Enhancing Art Through Metalsmithing,$3,000
2. Arts Education: Friendship City Projects,Taller Artistico Xuchialt Art and Culture Exchange,$3,000
3. Arts Education: Museum of Boulder,Teen Corps: 3D Printing Artifacts for the Blind(Seeing Through
Touching),$2,900
4. Arts Education: Studio Arts Boulder,Pottery with the"I Have a Dream"Foundation,$3,000
5. Community Project Grant: Boulder Symphony,GLOW Project,$5,000
Villarreal's overall impression of the reports:"incredible." A few things lie noted for the record:
• Reviewing Boulder Metalsmithing Association's budget, he voiced concern about the absence of
Todd Reed's funding in support of the project. As this was a local business that wanted to
underwrite the venture,Villarreal requested an update on the situation.
• Museum of Boulder's"remarkable"report successfully"hit on everything we want a cultural
institution to do." Empowering middle school students from underserved communities who
otherwise wouldn't have such opportunity carries the precise sort of equity measure that the Arts
Commission hoped to promote. "Admirable work."
• Excellent collaboration between Friendship City with the Museum of Boulder to display the work
pooling resources engages a wider audience.
• Boulder Symphony's report noted the difficulty in locating performance space that can
accommodate differently abled populations and is accessible to wheelchair-users. Commission
agreed this is a known challenge.
McCormick found the report from Studio Arts partnering with the"I Have a Dream"Foundation"exciting"-
they exceeded their own expectations with 188 students participating(25%above expectation).
Villarreal moved to approve the submitted reports,Hughes seconded,and the motion passed unanimously.
F
Agenda Item 5: Commission Business 10.12.14 Audio mina
A. DISCUSSION: Decision Process for the Special Facilities Grant
Pilot run for this$250,000 funding from City Council. Written response portion to this process instead of the
timed public presentations. Due to the"spectrum of uses"that groups are applying for,McCormick wanted dialog
on how to portion out the monies appropriately. She would like to ask the applicants the following question: If you
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don't receive full fund_ng,do�ou have a w to still do at least abortion of the s Bested project? Thegrant
language noted"minor capital needs"which McCormick feels to be"grey"language that holds different meaning
for different groups. McCormick: is there some mutual understanding that commission members can have in terms
of how to rank the responses. Farman reminded commission that City Council's intention was not to evenly
distribute the monies among all applicants.
Chasansky explained that commission can"rely on the rubric for scoring... and your interpretation of the language
in it"to rank the participants and make a decision using"Robert's Rules"of parliamentary procedure. He also
noted the big difference of this process incorporating blind scoring(whereby commissioners will not view each
other's scores). Villarreal emphasized need to align with City Council's intentions for this funding; as there
appears desire"to fully fund as many projects as possible,"the result can mean"winner takes all." Hughes and
Villarreal asked to see the City Council instructions again as"that needs to be part of the decision-making
process." Chasansky will provide these key points from council in the Arts Conmmission packet for next meeting.
Click suggested also including the actual document and website language that the applicants responded to.
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The final decision is made by motion(for which the scoring serves as a guide). McCormick wondered if additional
questions can be asked of applicants during the meeting; though not influential to scoring,these responses could
affect the amount of money distributed to each in deliberation. Villarreal suggested providing applicants an equal
amount of time to present, whether commission has a question or not. Hughes disagreed. Villarreal responded that
there should be opportunity given to all for championing each organization. Hughes discerned between
"clarifying"and"championing." Staff recalled that part of the impetus for this written procedure came from a
sense that"the oral presentations ... were over-determining the outcome"of commission's decision. Commission
agreed that there would be no official presentations.
Carolyn Booth asked why there would be further questions after the second round(wherein these inquiries could be
posed). Commission clarified that this would be in the situation of an applicant not responding to a question or
providing`obtuse"answers. Click noted that she would need to alert the applicants to attend the meeting in the
case of follow-up questions. "We request your presence in case there are questions,"Hughes suggested as notice
to the applicants,clarifying no presentations and an aim to have no questions from commission.
Agenda Item 6: Matters from Commissioners 10.41.45 Audio min.]
A. Requested discussion of 2020 budget—Farnan: City Council will review the City Manager's budget at next
Tuesday's Study Session. After further revision,August submission to council will lead to October approval.
Preliminarily,facilities and cultural grants are fully funded with request for ongoing support. Boulder Arts Week
is funded. Farnan noted that about 50%($15,000 from$30,000)was cut from neighborhood mural program. None
of the new personnel position requests were approved. Farnan noted that the overall municipal budget's intention
to begin balancing the ongoing revenue streams with total budget. "Most departments if not all didn't get what
tha were asking for."Villarreal inquired about the staff positions that were requested but not accepted and Farnan
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replied that these involved a current contract employee transitioning to becoming actual employee and adding-a
NoBo Art District liaison.
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Discussion of challenges impeding completion of projects(e.g.,those of Adam Kuby and the CU ENVD 3300
Praxis). The issues(FEMA mapping,permit procurement,code regulations,etc.)prove both costly and
interruptive. Villarreal noted that"Boulder's arbitrary permitting process is messing with Boulder's Public Art
Program"and voiced concern that these delays will"kill enthusiasm." Commission asked what office makes the t
final decision. Chasansky replied that Development Services distributes the permits; if that office determines code
violation, it will reject the perniit. Chasansky also noted that the approval process for a variance request on the 20-
foot height limit for a secondary structure on a residential property may take 6 months(a scenario for one of the
current projects).
Villarreal inquired about the possibility of a"blanket variance"for this situation. Staff responded that this has been
preliminarily discussed in the Planning Department,but there is no existing process to affect any of these current
projects. Vink clarified that 12 projects presently fill the pipeline. Villarreal: "no guarantee we will see any of
them,"which is"obscene"considering all the administrative and permitting cost. -"I think the city can do a better
job, and it should do a better job." Chasansky invited commission to relay specific questions that he can
investigate; lie also offered to request Development Services staff attend an upcoming meeting for further
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permitting process around regulations.
Agenda Item 7: Matters from Staff 11.09.35 Audio min.]
A. DISCUSSION: Questions About the Manager's Memo-Chasansky welcomed questions by email.
B. Artist Census—Haan presented on the findings of the Artist Census(see handouts). This census aimed to clarify
and explore the lives of Boulder artists, to confirm anecdotal evidence,and to provide direction to community
leaders and organizations who strive to improve artists' lives,"particularly regarding the recommendations in the
City of Boulder's Community Cultural Plan." Four main conclusions drawn:
• Despite the high number of artists living here, Boulder is not perceived as!raving a thriving, vibrant or
highly visible arts scene.
• Earnings fr•onr rut professions is loin.
• Loin incomes plus high housing costs and a modest local marketplace results in "Tire Squeeze."
• Boulder has the ingredients to be a great home for artists and their small business enter1)rises. But we are
not there yet.
Villarreal clarified that the 4,500 figure captures the number of artists in Boulder specifically the Bureau of Labor
Statistics(BLS)categories. Villarreal wondered if the report contained mention of effects from the marijuana
industry's capture of warehouse space(and related dearth of the same for artist studio space). Chasansky has
anecdotally heard from nonprofits that this demand indeed drove up costs;also, these marijuana operations do not
always make for favorable neighbors. Villarreal noted his own experience enjoying the community generated from
sharing studio space with other artists—working alone as a property owner can have a siloing effect. Responding
to McCormick's inquiry about age,Chasansky noted the older groups defining themselves as"emerging"artists
(indicating second career.)
Haan noted that after further refinement,the findings of the Artist Census will be published on the website;
potentially,another forum can then discuss these findings. Commission was invited to review and suggest
adjustments/additions to the document—Chasansky aims to provide this as a"white paper that can be used by the
community."
C. Volunteer to assist with the Martin Luther King Day Enhancement Grant—Chasansky solicited a volunteer from
the commission to support the enhancement grant process with the Human Relations Commission(HRC). Hughes
volunteered.
D. Retreat Planning Chasansky alerted commission to a poll that will be sent out to check on availability. He noted
agenda goals of the retreat including next year's work plan and drafting of outline for letter to City Council.
Commission requested review of budget. Staff welcomed suggestions for offsite cultural organizations as well as
any guest speakers they would like to invite.
Agenda Item 7: Adjournment 11.45.55 Audio min.]
Villarreal emphasized his sense that the$15,000 cut from the mural program is"unreal." The commission would like to
understand the staff workload. Farnan noted that more money can translate to more work for staff and thus less capacity,
Villarreal wondered about sustainability: "Let's hope for a more tenable future...but I am worried about the trajectory."
There being no further business to come before the commission at this time,the meeting was adjourned.
Date,time, and location of next meeting:
The next Boulder Arts Commission meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, August 21,2019, in the Boulder
Creek Room at the Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder,CO 80302.
APPROVED BY. -AT Ft;54.ED.
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Board hair Board Secretary
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